Technology holds the promise of transforming the way students learn and educators teach, to enable 21st Century learning and student-centric environments.
It also holds the potential to accelerate educational transformation. By leveraging technology tools and services holistically—not only within the classroom or the school infrastructure—schools can ensure more streamlined planning and efficient reform to achieve effective change that works towards improving student outcomes.
Here are some technology tools that can help in every phase of your transformation journey to drive change more effectively.
Phase 1 – Simplifying and streamlining the planning process:
The digital transformation process begins with bringing together core stakeholders to collaborate and collectively define a common vision, core values and goals. The focus here is on identifying the potential areas where technology can make a difference in enhancing student outcomes.
This collaborative process involves a thorough assessment of the current strengths and weaknesses of the institution. Gathering inputs from external parties such as governments, businesses, parents and community leaders, and drawing inspiration and references from other institutions undergoing their digital journey are all part of shaping the vision and strategy.
There are myriad technology tools to help enable easier communication and collaboration between the different parties—school leaders, administration, IT, parents, students, and more. Conferencing tools like Skype, for example, help overcome location constraints to enable meetings across distances. Applications such as Microsoft Teams can also provide a platform to conduct conversations outside of meetings seamlessly, share resources easily and store information for future reference.
Phase 2 – Innovating and implementing educational reform:
With a common vision guiding the direction for transformation, the diverse groups of stakeholders can then independently formulate strategies and implement innovations that synergize, reducing both the time and friction involved in effecting changes.
Technology helps further facilitate and streamline these changes within the educational institution. Digital resources such as OneNote teacher handbooks can be leveraged to ensure new changes are promptly and efficiently reflected and communicated to all teachers.
Training videos can also be shared via OneNote or Stream to give school staff and teachers the flexibility to learn about the new implementations at their own convenience, instead of adhering to fixed schedules that may compromise student needs.
Phase 3 – Monitoring and refining with insights:
As your educational institution progresses towards the goals and vision defined, it is important to keep monitoring the impact of your technology implementation to ensure that it remains relevant to improving student outcomes.
Tools such as Power BI and learning management systems can provide objective data and analysis, as well as subjective feedback on how the changes implemented are impacting learning. This information provides stakeholders with the insights they need to review progress and refine strategies and implementations if necessary.
Facilitating digital transformation, with technology
The educational transformation journey is a cyclical, ongoing process—and technology can accelerate the process, and ensure that the changes are relevant and effective in improving student outcomes.
Microsoft is committed to helping schools achieve educational change that empowers students to achieve more. To find out more, register to become a Microsoft School to receive the assets, resources, best practices and community support you need to kickstart your education transformation journey.
For more information, please visit Microsoft Education or the Microsoft Educator Community Portal.
